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I needed to pick up some stocking stuffers for the family a few weeks ago (a few days before Christmas) and, since I was on a very tight budget (Christmas fell the week before I got paid), I did a lot of my shopping at our local Dollar Tree store. My oldest daughter loves things […]

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I needed to pick up some stocking stuffers for the family a few weeks ago (a few days before Christmas) and, since I was on a very tight budget (Christmas fell the week before I got paid), I did a lot of my shopping at our local Dollar Tree store.
My oldest daughter loves things with a religious theme. This started when she first started attending Sunday school and continued when she discovered VeggieTales. So, when I was shopping for her and happened to come across a Bible Trivia Card Game from Greenbrier International, I decided to pick it up for her.

We have only played this game a couple of times but, each time, we both have enjoyed ourselves and even learned something about it.

The game is exactly what the description makes it out to be. It is a deck of cards with a variety of trivia questions on them relating to the Bible. I have never really read the rules and I’m not sure how to keep score. But, my daughter and I have spent quite a few minutes now reading off the questions in an effort to get the correct answer.

When I first bought this game, I was a bit concerned the questions on the cards would be too hard. I have seen similar games in the past that asked questions that were absolutely impossible to answer; for adults as well as kids. So, when we first started playing this, I was prepared to give up after the first few cards.

However, that wasn’t the case. So far, we have found some challenging questions that nobody knew the answer to. But, for every one of those, we have found a question that my daughter actually knew simply from going to Sunday school or watching a show like VeggieTales. And, as a parent, I can tell you games are much more fun for kids if they are able to feel like they are able to play them and not be stumped all the time.

As for the questions we couldn’t answer, those encourage us to look up the answers that are given and learn more about the people and events that are mentioned. And, as I have said before, anything that encourages both my daughter and me to learn something new is always going to score some points with me.

This game probably isn’t going to be for everyone. But, if you want to learn more about the Bible or want to challenge yourself and your kids and find out what you already know, then this is a game I would recommend buying. I know I don’t regret spending $1 on it.

Thanks for reading this post! I will be giving away a couple of tactical flashlight amazon for you! Please watch out for my next post for the guidelines.

There you are: young, carefree and with a few weeks of holiday break to burn. If you listen closely you can hear Europe calling! Assuming you already have your passport, you are off and running. The European Union is slowly pulling in all the far corners of Western Europe and that means everyone is turning to an economy based on the euro-dollar. With a little pre-planning you can still travel all over, see plenty of sites and eat more than bread and wine.
In no particular order are the top five European hotspots for the 18-25 year old set (or anyone else who is into traveling light!).

First up is Prague, Czech Republic: Perhaps the most youth-oriented city I know of, Prague has captured its history like no other. Because Prague was basically left alone during WWII, it has in many ways remained the same for years and managed to preserve its beauty. Scattered throughout the city are pubs catering to young adults (18-25), trendy cafes, traditional restaurants, winding cobblestone pathways and romantic parks and gardens (where Europeans are not afraid to show PDA). So not to miss the hidden alleyways, revealing mystery and history, Prague is best experienced on foot. Check out the AC archives for other articles of mine on Prague or check out https://thepnw.co/

I personally feel that the “real” Prague is best discovered when the sun sets until about 3 or 4 in the morning. That’s when the jazz and blues bars come alive. But for more standard sightseeing, check out the following: the Hradèany Museum, Josefov (the Old Jewish Quarter), the Malá Strana district, Old Town Square and Petrin Hill. Check out www.prague.cz for all the information you could ever hope to find — and in English to boot!

Next up, lets jet over to London, England: The number one study abroad location for American students, England’s capital, London is a wonderful city full of exiting things to see and do. The best way to get around the city is by subway (or as they call it in England, “the underground”). From these underground stops you can usually walk to most of the area’s best attractions.

For a beautiful view of London, take a ride on the London Eye (an observation wheel). If you are into art, stop by the National Gallery or the Tate Modern. For history enthusiasts, the Tower of London never fails to impress. If you need a break from all that sightseeing, take a stroll in one of London’s many parks or visit a market. Portobello Road market is certainly worth a visit on Saturday.

One of the nicest aspects of London is that it has one of the least expensive international flights available for American students (not counting Canada). Travel websites www.statravel.com or www.studentuniverse.com usually offer the best prices, and provide spring break discounts as well when flying from the United States. If you’re already in Europe and country-hopping from place to place, consider www.Ryanair.com or similar no-frills airlines. (I flew from Southern Italy to London for 19 euro. Once in London however — get ready – student or not, because it is one very expensive place. In fact, London is the third most expensive city in the world, following Tokyo and Osaka, based on annual cost of living.

Far be it from me to tell you what to see or where to go. But the big ticket items in London include the following sites: the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Camden Market and Covent Garden,

One of the most reliable sites to go to for information on London is www.visitlondon.com. I also recommend checking out an AC article I wrote on Youth Hostels.

Third on our list is reserved for Budapest, Hungary. Budapest boasts having the best nightlife in all of Europe. That’s debatable but certainly it’s a 24 hour town. The capital of Hungary, Budapest’s tradition and culture is still thriving. Although Westernization advancement is affecting the deep-rooted traditions, the beauty and ancient feel of the city will always set Budapest apart. The Danube River winds through the city center, providing great views from the many parks, hills and gardens. Budapest rests atop thermal hot springs and cool mineral springs, which creates opportunities to visit the many old-fashioned bathhouses and spas.

Notable sites include but aren’t limited to Castle Hill, City Park, Gellért Hill, Király Baths and the Magyar Állami Operaház (Opera House). Check out www.budapestinfo.hu/en for more information.

Next up is Amsterdam, Netherlands: It goes without saying that Amsterdam is known for its very unique and bizarre selection of museums and restaurant styles. The Red Light District also draws crowds of all kinds looking to discover the city’s exotic night life. Amsterdam is like no other city in Europe, with lots to do and experience, you don’t have go far to be entertained. Check out my AC article on Amsterdam for dos and don’t on visiting the Red Light District.

Tourists scatter throughout the cobbled streets during the summer months; yet the Dutch culture still remains predominant. Canals glide throughout the city, with lush parks and bicycle “owned” winding streets following beside. Voted by travelers as one of the hardest cities to leave, Amsterdam has maintained a very relaxed, laid-back atmosphere, which has proven ideal for backpackers.

Amsterdam is another city where life really begins after dark. But while you wait for the sun to set, you can visit the Begijnhof courtyard, take a boatride through the canals, ponder Vincent at the Van Gogh Museum, visit the Stedelijk Museum and the Southern Canal Belt. You can also tap into www.visitamsterdam.nl for more information.

Last but not least is Valencia, Spain. It may well beEurope’s best-kept secret, and with good reason: Valencia is on the southern Mediterranean coast, about two hours southeast of Madrid, Spain’s capital. Valencia is rapidly becoming a very popular student destination. The San Francisco-like city is safe, inexpensive and the night-life is varied and alive. Valencia feels young and vivacious and the locals are personable and friendly.

Similar to Prague, Valencia is best seen on foot. Aside from Barcelona, Valencia is the only Spanish city that has ferry access to the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca) every day at 3 p.m. From the Valencian harbor, students can catch a four hour ferry to any of these popular spring break locations. Be prepared for lots of tourists. And don’t forget to check out the Tomato Festival better known as “La Tomatina” which takes place in August. Read all about it in my AC article.

The City of Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias), Jardin Botanico (Botanical Garden), the Central Market, Fallas Museu, El Palmar and the Albufera of Valencia are but a few of the many places to see and enjoy.

For more information log on to www.turisvalencia.es or www.24-7valencia.com. And tell them Gary sent you.

One last note: a EuroRail pass is still a good way for students to travel, but these days there are so many inexpensive regional airlines jetting tourists back and forth, you can easily travel quicker and cheaper by air. Just a thought!

So there you have it! And you thought there’d be nothing for you to do during holiday break! Are you kidding? As a student, you have all of Europe at your beck and call – in fact the hardest thing may be going back to school!

Software sales jobs are hot right now. Especially in recessions, sales jobs are still high in demand because the sales jobs end up becoming the revenue life-line for software companies. These jobs can also be extremely lucrative, even in an economic recession. It’s also one of those jobs where you can make good money without a degree.

These jobs can be very easy to find if you know how to look and if you know what skills are required. In this post, I will give you some ideas on how you can find these jobs and even have multiple options at the end of your search.

Software sales jobs can be very easy to find if you know how to look. So here are some guidelines to follow in searching these jobs. In addition, further down below, I will give you some insights on how to be a good candidate if you’ve never had a software sales job before, or even if you’ve never had a sales job before. Also, I will offer some tips on how you can impress your potential employer when you’re applying.

Don’t Use Job Posting Boards Like Monster.com

It’s very simple, jobs that are posted on websites like these, especially the good and legitimate jobs, get bombarded by applicants and you can be potentially be competing with millions of other people.

Look on Craigslist

Craigslist can be a very good way to find good sales jobs and not be competing with the masses. These jobs come up very frequently on craigslist. On top of that, you may even be able to find jobs that you can work from home.

Hit the Phones

This is probably the best way to find good jobs. Compile a list of software companies that you know of or find during your research and just cold call them. Why would this work so well? Well guess what you are required to do in a sales job? That’s right, cold call. If you can effectively sell yourself over the phone, you’ll show that you can be effective selling their stuff as well.

In addition, many really jobs will never be posted to a job board or even craigslist. Software companies go there when their pool and networks are tapped out to fill their jobs. And just because these companies are not posting their jobs, that doesn’t mean they aren’t hiring. Look for software companies that are experiencing growth or have recently developed a new technology that will have a comparative advantage in the market. Also, by doing this, you are demonstrating initiative and you won’t be competing with a million other people. I can attest to this when I was workin in an office setting as a writer for Canadian web hosting reviews.

Just pretend you are already on the job and you need to do research to compile a list of leads, then cold call them, send your resume, follow up, follow up, follow up, and book appointments like you would do in a sales job.

Also, by doing this, you get to choose who you work for, you get to have options in your search. You can interview the company while they are interviewing you, because now, you have options.

To start in your research for good software companies that might have good software sales jobs, start by looking at www.inc.com and look up companies that are growing. If they’re growing, it’s very likely there are hiring.

A credit card can be defined as a payment card given to users which permits the cardholder to pay a seller for goods and services with the intention of paying the card issuer at a later date. However, if you are a frugal spender who pays his or her card balance off in its entirety each month, you will enjoy the fantastic benefits of owning credit cards.

When you did not default in your payment to your card issuer, there are several advantages of possessing your credit card which will be explained in this article. Despite the news making round about the disadvantages of having credit cards, you can own a credit card and meet your financial goals if you are a disciplined person who knows how to manage his or her expenses.

Here are some of the credit card bonuses:

REWARDS PROGRAMS

Most credit cards have amazing reward programs that are beneficial to their cardholders. Individuals who hold cards gain points when they purchase different items in grocery stores, shopping malls, book flights and other terminals. These earned points can be spent on buying of products and services from various vendors.

If you are a heavy spender, these points acquired through the reward programs can be used to pay for the yearly fee if your card issuer charges such.

CASHBACK BONUSES

Some credit cards are cash-back cards which help you money based on your monthly expenditures. These credit cards have cash-back rates which are normally within the range of 1% and 5%. Each time you buy an item, you are offered a cash-back percent of the value of your purchase.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

Most credit cards have amazing bonuses which include travel insurance, purchase protection insurance, rental car insurance, and extended warranty insurance. Having a credit card that has travel insurance gives the cardholder flexibility to move anywhere, it also save cash for the holder and offer comfort.

FRAUD PROTECTION

The cases of fraudulent activities on the internet have been reported more often in recent times, having credit cards issued by reputable card companies is an excellent idea. Most credit card companies have installed technology on their cards that provides protection against fraud and help you secure your hard-earned cash from malicious purchases from online thieves.

For example, most Visa credit cards have a special feature that helps the credit card companies check your account for fraudulent procurement. Having this type of credit card will provide security as you will be notified by your company when there is a suspicious purchase with your card.

SAFE ONLINE EXPERIENCE

Credit cards can be used for shopping at physical shops as well as online transactions. These cards are laced with unique security features that protect your funds when you buy online. You can shop on various online shops with peace of mind that your money is safe as your credit card has extra security layers.

AVAILABLE IN ANY CURRENCY

One of the advantages of owning a credit card is that it can be used in another country for transaction purposes. When you are traveling to another country, you can make use of your credit card to buy goods, and you will be required to pay a currency conversion charge to the card issuer. For example, credit cards can be used to make hotel bookings and pay for groceries when you shop abroad.

BUILDING OF CREDIT STORE

Owning a credit card plays a significant role in the building of your credit history and also offers you a favourable credit rating. When you have an excellent credit score, applying for loans will be easier for you as you will get easy access to a car and home loans. Paying off your loans promptly will help you to develop a good credit score.